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August 27, 2007

A whole roasting chicken makes a great Sunday dinner - easy, comforting, and excellent for leftovers! Since this Sunday dinner took place in August, I cooked it on the grill and served it with fresh seasonal vegetables. It works just as nicely in the oven, though, so enjoy it year round. And, in addition to enjoying delicious food together, remember the many other benefits of eating together as a family (read the article More Benefits of Family Meals)

Grilled or Roasted ChickenFresh corn on the cobGrilled broccoli with lemon and garlicSliced garden-fresh tomatoes with basil and balsamic vinaigrette

Meanwhile, make herb butter by chopping herbs finely, mincing garlic, and mixing both into the softened butter. Or, if you choose to use a food processor, process the herbs, garlic, and butter just until creamy. You may also add chopped lemon rind to the herbs for even more flavor. Optionally, for a healthier version, use fresh herbs in a little olive oil (in place of the butter) to create a paste. This herb butter is also delicious on fish and can be frozen if desired. It makes a great finishing touch for grilled steak as well as a topping for vegetables and/or rice.

To prepare the chicken, take a spoon and slide it between the breast and the skin, creating an opening. Put small pieces (about 1/2 tsp. portions) of the herb butter into the opening and slide down the breast with your fingers, about 3-4 pieces of butter per side.

Using a spray or mist bottle filled with olive oil, spray a cooking pan (disposable foil pan if grilling) and then spray the chicken. Season the chicken inside and out with paprika and salt and pepper.

Grill or roast until internal temperature reaches 170 when a thermometer is inserted between the thigh and the breast in the middle of the thigh meat. Remove and allow to rest a minimum of 10-15 minutes. This step allows the juices to reabsorb into the meat, allowing for easier slicing and moister chicken.

Mix tomatoes, cumin and oregano and set aside for flavors to blend. Set aside.

In a deep saute skillet, heat the skillet and add the olive oil. Saute the onions, garlic and jalapeno pepper until softened. Add the chicken, corn, and beans and heat through. Add enough of the reserved tomatoes to moisten (about a cup or so). Pour half of the remaining tomatoes in the bottom of a glass baking dish.

Lay out wraps and divide the chicken mixture evenly among the 6 wraps. Roll up and place seam-side-down in the baking dish. Pour remaining tomatoes over the top. Bake for 20 minutes.

Delicious served with a crispy Romaine salad with diced avocado and tomatoes.

Earth Greens

Earth GreensPlease call 602-595-7560 or order online at www.essanteworldwide.com/ordergreens to order Essante's Earth Greens and Supreme pH drops or you may email or call me to place an order and for further information. Also, be sure to read the accompanying article on this blog, Drink Your Vegetables for more information on this product.

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Other Sites of Interest

Eating Well Magazine's WebsiteA great website for healthy recipes, nutritional information, and helpful tools, including calorie counters, nutritional analysis tools, and a soon-to-be weight tracker.
To subscribe to the magazine: EatingWell